1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to means for facilitating the carrying of cups containing beverages or other liquids. More particularly, the invention relates to disposable handles for use with paper, styrofoam or other plastic disposable cups of the type commonly dispensed at fast-food establishments and convenience stores.
2. Description of Background Art
Disposable cups of the type commonly dispensed at fast-food establishments, convenience stores, picnics and the like, are often fabricated from paper, styrofoam or other plastic materials. Many such cups have smooth sides and are not equipped with handles.
While styrofoam cups are inherently good insulators, cups made of paper or non-cellular plastic materials are poor insulators. Therefore, when such cups are filled with hot chocolate, tea, coffee, soup, or the like, handling the cups can be uncomfortable, sometimes to the extent that a person is caused to drop the cup.
In addition to the problem of heat, penetration through the walls of certain types of disposable cups, all cups without handles present some handling difficulties that is because the entire palm of the hand is generally required to manipulate a cup without a handle. More desirably, a cup provided with a handle may be grasped and manipulated with one or more fingers, leaving other fingers and palm to carry other articles such as rolls, doughnuts, hamburgers and hot dogs.
Recognition of the desirability of providing disposable cups with handles has stimulated various inventions related to such cups. Examples of United States patents granted on such inventions include those issued to Fick U.S. Pat. No. Des. 034,063, Feb. 12, 1901; Krueger, U.S. Pat. No. 1,985,375, Dec. 25, 1934; La Bombard, U.S. Pat. No. 1,999,378, Apr. 30, 1935; Annen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,060,781, Nov. 17, 1936; Schact, U.S. Pat. No. 2,287,644, June 23, 1944; Liebenow, U.S. Pat. No. 2,659,527, Nov. 17, 1953 and La Tourette, U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,365, Jan. 6, 1959.
The present invention provides a disposable handle which may be readily attached to disposable beverage cups not provided with adequate handles, or not provided with any handles at all.